To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Quince Hoskins, 19 February 1806

19 February 1806

To His Excellency Thomas Jefferson Esqr. President of the United States

Humbly shews

Richard Quince Hoskins of Boston in the district of Massachusetts late chief Clerk in the Boston department
of the General post Office, that he stands convicted of embezzling a letter containing money as will appear by the records
of the Circuit Court transmitted with a former petition to your Excellency by your humble petitioner on this subject: that
your Excellency in a note directed to the Attorney for the district aforesaid, the contents of which have been made known
to your petitioner; suggested that it was necessary for your petitioner to do justice to Mr Hastings as far as in his
power to the end that he might the better deserve the mercy of your Excellency. Your petitioner begs leave most
respectfully to suggest, that prima facie, every witness was in the Cause through whose hands the letter passed prior to
the finding of the Grand Inquest, was subjected to the same suspicion as your petitioner; and your Excellency will
percieve by the Copies of the affidavits herewith communicated; that there are some doubts, whether the Letter ever came
into the office, and that by the receipt herewith communicated it will be perceived that that your petitioner has paid to
the party injured the full amount of the money which he lost; and it is hoped, that your petitioner does not assume an
improper license in Stating that the payment in question, must have been the principle evidence on which the Conviction
must have been founded: and further that Mr. Hastings by process of Law now holds all the property of your petitioner to
answer any defalcations which may be hereafter proved against your petitioner. Your petitioner is not deprived of the
Common right of criminals to say he is not guilty; and cannot consent to confess himself Guilty of a crime which he never
committed and thereby lay the foundation of other criminal prosecutions; and deprive his family of the small pittance
which will remain for them in case Mr. Hastings should not prevail against him in his suits, which your petitioner is
confident he will not.—Under these circumstances your petitioner presumes it will be believed that he has done every thing
which is proper for him to do to save Mr Hastings harmless. That money was frequently lost in the Boston Office both
before and since the conviction of your petitioner, and confessions which would go to charge your petitioner; with all
the losses of the Office cannot, with great submission, be insisted on with propriety; nor consented to upon any principle
whatever.—Your petitioner has now made all the Statements to your Excellency which can induce him to hope for mercy; that
divine attribute; which the Constitution has wisely deposited in the hands of the Executive. and in duty bound will ever
Pray.

You Are Looking At

Reference

Cite as

“To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Quince Hoskins, 19 February 1806,” Founders Online, National Archives, accessed April 11, 2019, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/99-01-02-3257. [This is an
Early Access document
from The Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
It is not an authoritative final version.]

More between these correspondents

The National Historical Publications and
Records Commission (NHPRC) is part of the National
Archives. Through its grants program, the NHPRC supports a wide range of activities to
preserve, publish, and encourage the use of documentary sources, relating to the history of
the United States, and research and development projects to bring historical records to the
public.

Founders Online is an official website
of the U.S. government, administered by the
National Archives and Records Administration
through the NHPRC, in partnership with the
University of Virginia Press,
which is hosting this website.